In this blog we break down what retail media is and how it applies to OTAs, tour operators and the broader travel industry.
If you’re in an OTA or tour operator business, the term retail media might sound like jargon from the world of supermarkets and department stores. In fact, you’re likely already familiar with it just under different names like co-marketing, partner marketing, or media partnerships.
At its core, retail media simply means using your own digital spaces and data to sell advertising or promotional opportunities to partners and brands.
In travel, it’s the modern evolution of long-standing practices like brochure placements, co-branded emails, sponsored listings, or package deals promoted through partner channels. The difference is that retail media uses digital tools and first-party data to make these activities smarter, more measurable, massively more scalable and, as a result, a lot more lucrative.
What exactly is retail media?
According to IAB Europe: “Retail media refers to the digital advertising space, retail data assets and in-store opportunities a retailer or marketplace owns, which is then made available to brands for the execution of advertising campaigns.”
When translated for the travel industry, this equates to:
- The “retailer”. An OTA, tour operator, airline, or any travel brand with valuable digital real estate and customer insights.
- The “brands”. Tourism boards, hotels, attractions, car rental companies, insurance providers, lifestyle brands. Essentially, any partner wanting to reach travellers.
- “Digital advertising space”. Your websites, apps, booking platforms, email communications, Wi-Fi login pages, and even physical in-store screens at retail travel locations or lounges.
Retail media transforms these spaces from pure customer touchpoints into monetisable assets. Instead of simply sending customers elsewhere, you can help partners engage them in relevant, targeted ways and earn incremental revenue in the process.
Why retail media makes sense for travel
Travel is exceptionally well-suited for retail media for multiple reasons and many early adopters have reaped the rewards from tapping into retail media technology already. The positive synergy for the industry is based on four key factors:
Rich First-Party Data: OTAs and tour operators sit on vast customer data: browsing patterns, booking histories, loyalty profiles, travel dates, destinations, and ancillary preferences. This data is gold for partners who want to target the right message to the right traveller at the right time
Endemic Partnerships: Travel brands already work with a vast ecosystem of partners — hotels, destination management companies, insurance providers, activities vendors. Retail media simply digitises and scales these partnerships into structured, revenue-generating programmes.
Digital Engagement Channels: The shift to online bookings and mobile apps provides prime real estate for sponsored placements, personalised offers, and cross-sell opportunities. From search results pages to confirmation emails, every touchpoint can become part of a retail media network.
Global Audiences: Unlike many traditional retailers, OTAs and tour operators often operate across multiple markets. Retail media allows brands to buy targeted advertising in specific geographies, languages, or customer segments — something traditional co-marketing channels struggled to achieve at scale.
Retail media vs. traditional co-marketing
Retail media doesn’t replace partnerships, it supercharges them. It provides structure, technology, and data-driven targeting to help travel companies and their partners achieve more measurable outcomes.
Benefits of retail media for OTAs and Tour Operators
While the full list of benefits is extensive, some of the most compelling for OTAs and tour operators include:
Incremental Revenue: Generate new revenue streams without increasing booking volumes by monetising existing traffic and digital assets.
Stronger Partnerships: Offer partners measurable value and insights, strengthening your commercial relationships.
Customer Experience: Deliver more relevant, personalised offers that genuinely help travellers discover useful services and experiences.
Data Monetisation: Turn customer insights into strategic value, while maintaining compliance with privacy regulations.
Scalable Efficiency: Use technology to reduce manual work, unify media sales, and track ROI across all partner activity.
The Opportunity Ahead
Retail media isn’t just a new revenue idea — it’s the modernisation of co-marketing for the digital age. For OTAs and tour operators, it offers a chance to deepen partner relationships, unlock fresh income streams, and deliver better experiences for travellers.
If your brand already collaborates with partners, you’re halfway there. Retail media is simply the next step to make those partnerships smarter, more profitable, and more future-proof.
Retail media has revolutionized how organisations engage with customers, optimise partnerships, and monetise their digital real estate. A proven success in retail, the potential for the travel industry is immense.
Curious how retail media could work for your travel brand? Explore more insights and success stories at www.platform195.com.
Next up, we explore the operational pitfalls that hold travel brands back from fully embracing retail media. Stay in the loop & sign up to receive our newsletter now.
